Rotary furnace or kiln.



G. P. DOWIS.

ROTARY FURNACE on KILN.

APPLICATION FILED APR Patented Dec.

Q X 0 a M, x 3 n m m m 1, i 5 7 w 5 a 77 M u 7/? 57 a an; 0.5 K

, DOE YES. ROTARYVFURNAGE OR KILN.

7 APPLIOATZ Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

W M .Kw ll]???.1.:ZIIL

F. DOWNS.

' ROTARY FURNACE 0R KILN.

APPLICATION FILED APR 25, 1514.

Patented D96. 22, 1914 5 SHEETS--SHEBT 4.

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vG. F. DOWNS.

ROTARY FURNACE on KILN.

v APYLIGATION FILED APR. 25, 1914. 1,121,906.

Patented Dec. 22, 914.

5 SHEETS SHE T5 -of the pipes 28 may be as desired, as, for

example, staggered, as shown in Fig. 1'.

hlounted adjustably upon supports 31 are brackets 32, which have slots for bolts and interposed shims 33, as shown in Fig. 4, by means of which the brackets are adjustable longitudinally and vertically with reference to the furnace cylinder. Rigidly secured to these brackets is an annular plate 3%, preferably built up of segments, which sets up face-to-face with the manifold head 20.

This plate 34; is held up to the face of the manifold head 20 so as to make a substantially gas-tight contact by means of spring held clips 35, which are mounted upon the manifold head 20, and which are clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 1 0. In this manner the plate ill, which is non-rotating, sets up against the manifold head 20 and over the open ends of the manifolds 21, except as presently described. These contacting surfaces, the one fixed and the other rotating, are well removed from the interior of the furnace and may, therefore, be readily lubricated. v

Mounted gas tight upon the plate 34: is a wind-box 36, which is segmental, of any, desired length or capacity, and is secured to said plate 34 at any desired radial position. The portion of the plate 3-1 covered by the wind-box S6 is slotted to permitpassage of air or other fluid from the wind-box to the manifolds .21, as they come by rotation within the segmental and unobstructed area covered by said wind-box. Connected with the wind-box 36 is a duct 87 which supplies air, gas, or vapor under pressure from any desired source, as from a blower 88, shown in Fig. l.

It will now be evident that, when the furnace cylinder is in rotation and the blower 38 is in operation, the fluid under pressure vwill pass from blower into the wind-box.

and produce pressure therein. As the circular manifold head 20 rotates with the cylinder and brings the open ends of the manifolds 21 successively within the slot area in the plate 3% within the wind-box, the air, gas, or vapor will .be forced into said manifolds and thence through the connections above described into the interior of the furnace, which discharge will continue with reference to each manifold and its discharge ducts during the time the open end of the manifold is passing over said slot in said plate 34a; and said plate 34: will prevent both ingress and egress at all other times.

In order to further regulate the treatment of any given substance by such air, gas, or vapor discharge, I provide within the windbox 36 dampers 39 which, by regulation, close down or open up the slot areawithin the wind-box from which such fluid can pass to said manifoldsthus reducing or increasing the period of discharge through each manifold with every revolution of the furnace or kiln. it is important that not only shall the initial adaptation of the apparatus to a specific substance to be treated be had by detern'iining the segmental length of the wind-box, as described, but it is also equally importanti that a more refined adjustment may beeflected by these dampers 39, in order to meet varying con ditions, such as varying content of material treated, speed of rotation of furnace or kiln, pressure of air or gas supplied, and similar variables. These dampers, preferably one at each endjof the wind-box, are regulated by means, of damper-screws 40, which are revolubly secured to the dampers 39 and engaged by ball-nuts -ll which are mounted in ball sockets 4'22 secured to the end walls of the wind-box 36. By rotation of these damper screws 40 (which have handwheels or other means of rotation, not shown) the dampers 39am moved over an arc of a circle, extending or reducing the length of the slot in the plate 34 through which the manifolds 21 can receive air from the wind-box as the manifold head 20 is rotated.

My invention is capable of mechanical variation and adaptation to meet varying conditions other than above specified and also to various analogous uses, and I do not limit myself strictly to the construction shown and described, but

I claim 1. In a furnace of the type described, the combination of a rotary cylinder manifolds mounted on said cylinder and communicating with the interior thereof, said manifolds having open ends adapted to receive air or gas, and a wind box with which said open ends of the manifolds register during a part of their revolution to receive air or gas.

2. In a furnace of the type described, the combination of a rotary cylinder, manifolds mounted on said cylinder and communicating with the interior thereof, said manifolds having open ends adapted to receive air or gas, a wind box with which the open ends of the manifolds register during .a part of their revolutions to receive air or gas, and a fixed plate which closes said open ends of the manifolds when they are out of registration with said wind box. 3. In a furnace of the type described, in

combination with a rotating cylinder, a circular manifold head secured to said cylinder, manifolds mounted through said circular manifold head and pipes connecting said manifolds with the interior of said cylinder, a Wind-box and means for supplying air or gas pressure thereto, a plate facing against said circular manifold head and means for holding the two in contact, said WiIlCl-lX being mounted upon said plate and said plate havin a slot within the area covered by said Win -hox for the admission of gas or air to said manifolds as they pass said slots in their rotation.

ln a furnace of the type described, in combination with a rotating cylinder, a circular manifold head secured to said cylinder, manifolds mounted through said circular manifold head and pipes connecting said manifolds with the interior of said cylinder, a circular plate adjust-ably mounted and facing against said circular manifold head, spring-held plates for holding said circular manifold head and said plate in contact, a wind-box carried by said plate inclosing a segmental slot in said plate and means for supplying air or gas under pressure to said wind hox.

In furnace of the type described, in combination with a rotary cylinder, manifolds and pipes mounted in rotation therewith for conveying gas or air into said cylinder, means for supplying gas or air under pressure to said manifolds at one end thereof and removable plugs in said manifolds at the other ends thereof and in said pipes to permit'cleaning of the same.

6. In a furnace of the type described, in combination with a rotating cylindcr,nianifolds arranged circumferentially about said cylinder, pipes leading from said manifolds into said cylinder, a Wind-box and means for supplying air or under pressure to said Wind-box and a non-rotating plate inerposed between said Wind-box and the open ends of said manifolds, whereby said manifolds are closed by said interposed plate at all times except when passing the segment covered by said Wind-box, and a limited passage froni said Wind-box to said manifolds. 5o

7. in a furnace of the type described, in combination with a rotating cylinder, means for supplying gas or air under pressure to the interior of said cylinder comprising a plurality of manifolds mounted in rotation with said cylinder and pipes connecting said manifolds with the interior of said cylinder, means for supplying air or gas to said manifolds successively as they are rotated and for closing said manifolds except when so receiving gas or air.

8. In a furnace of the type described, in combination with a rotating cylinder, manifolds for supplying air or other gas or vapor to the interior of said cylinder through a s5 plurality of pipes leading thereinto, pipes so connecting said manifolds with the 113- terior of said cylinder, a non-rotating Windbox forsupplying air or other gas to sa d manifolds as they pass the open face of said 7 0 n'ind'hon, and a damper for regulating the length of opening in said Wind-box through which said manifolds may take air or other gas.

9. En a furnace of the type described, n combination with a rotating cylinder, a carcular manifold head mounted to rotate therewith, manifolds mounted through said circular manifold head, pipes connecting said manifolds with the interior of said cylinder, a circular plate facing said circular manifold head and spring-held plates for holding said circular manifold head and said plate in substantially gas-tight relation,

a wind-bore mounted on said plate and a slot in said plate Within the area covered by said wind-box, means for supplying air or gas under pressure to said *ind-box, a damper for regulating the length of period during which each manifold may receive gas so or air from said Wind-hos: during each rotation.

GEORGE 'DG NS. Witnesses:

D. H. Hanrnn, A. E. HARPER. 

